Cantilevered supporting shell for seat

ABSTRACT

A seat in a mass transit vehicle, such as a bus or subway car, extends lengthwise from the vehicle wall toward the aisle. The seat is supported from below by a cantilevered supporting shell comprising a trough-shaped structural skin and a tubular frame without diagonal bracing. The trough-shaped skin has an open top and an open end at the vehicle wall.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to seats for mass transitvehicles such as buses, subway cars, commuter trains and the like, andmore particularly to seats of this type which are cantilevered from asidewall of the vehicle.

Transit vehicle seating is generally arranged with two seats inside-by-side relation located between a sidewall and a center aisle ofthe vehicle. For a number of reasons, it is desirable that the seats becantilevered from the sidewall rather than being supported by legs orpedestals located beneath the seat and supported by the floor of thevehicle. For example, legs or pedestals interfere with cleaning of thefloor of the vehicle, and they can impede movement of passengers alongthe aisle and into and out of the seats.

Conventional cantilevered seats for transit vehicles or the like aredisclosed in Barecki U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,747,979 and 3,897,974. Aconventional cantilevered seat, of the type disclosed in said Bareckipatents, generally comprises a seat resting atop a cantilevered frame.The frame includes a pair of horizontally disposed frame membersextending outwardly from the sidewall toward the center aisle of thevehicle, appropriate cross-frame members extending between the twohorizontally extending members and a pair of brace members eachextending from a lower portion of the vehicle sidewall upwardly andoutwardly to an outer portion of a respective horizontally extendingframe member. The brace members may be either diagonal or arcuate.

It is also conventional to hang a cover or housing on the cantileveredframe and to house within that cover accessories such as a blower motorand fan for air-conditioning or heating, a speaker for a public addresssystem, a light for illuminating the vehicle floor, and electricalwiring used with such accessories. The cover performs no structuralfunction but serves merely an aesthetic purpose to hide from view thewiring and accessories. The structural frame supports not only the seatbut also the cover and accessories. Accordingly, the structural frame isrelatively heavy and requires a number of components, all of whichincrease the cost and the complexity of manufacturing the cantileveredstructure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided acantilevered shell composed of a frame and a structural skin both ofwhich cooperate to support a seat in cantilevered relation to thesidewall of the vehicle. This cantilevered shell eliminates a number ofthe drawbacks of the conventional cantilevered supporting structuredescribed above. The frame comprises a pair of horizontally extendingframe members joined at their outer ends by a cross piece and connectedat their inner ends to the upper ends of a pair of vertically extendingframe elements joined at their lower ends by a cross piece. This is thetotality of the framework. No other cross pieces are required and nodiagonal or arcuate braces are required.

To augment the supporting function of the framework described in thepreceding paragraph, a rigid, trough-shaped structural skin is provided.This structural skin is integral with the frame and cooperates with theframe to provide the support for the seat. The structural skin alsoperforms the covering and housing functions of the non-supporting coverutilized in the conventional cantilevered seats described above underthe heading "BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION."

Because the structural skin performs a supporting function, there is areduction in the weight support requirements of the frame members, inturn reducing the strength requirements for the frame members as well asthe number of frame components. The frame is thus relatively simple inconstruction and relatively light in weight, and its components are fewin number compared to the framework utilized in conventional prior artcantilevered seats. The trough-shaped rigid supporting skin is alsorelatively simple to construct, relatively lightweight, and isattractive to the eye.

Other features and advantages are inherent in the structure claimed anddisclosed or will become apparent to those skilled in the art from thefollowing detailed description in conjunction with the diagrammaticdrawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a front view of a seat resting atop a cantilevered supportingshell constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an aisle-end view of the seat and supporting shell of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of an embodiment of thesupporting shell;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the components of thesupporting shell;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged wall-end view of the supporting shell, partiallycut away;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged aisle-end view of the supporting shell;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the supporting shell; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8--8 in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, indicated generally at 10 is atwo-passenger seat resting atop a supporting shell indicated generallyat 11 and cantilevered from a sidewall 12 of a transit vehicle having afloor 13.

.Iadd.As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the front and back of seat 10 aredisposed transversely to wall 12. .Iaddend.

Referring to FIGS. 3-8, supporting shell 11 includes a tubular frame 15and a rigid, trough-shaped, structural skin 16 integral with frame 15.Skin 16 is an integral part of the supporting structure, and the skincarries a substantial amount of the load from seat 10.

As shown in FIG. 4, tubular frame 15 is composed of two discrete parts17, 18 each bent into the configuration shown in FIG. 4 and joinedtogether with the other half to form frame 15. Each frame half 17, 18comprises a respective horizontally extending frame part 20, 21 eachhaving an inner end portion integral with the upper end portion of avertically extending frame part 22, 23 respectively. Each vertical framepart 22, 23 has a lower end portion integral with a respective lowerconnecting part 24, 25 each having a respective terminal end 26, 27(FIG. 5). Each horizontally extending frame part 20, 21 also comprisesan outer end portion integral with a respective outer connecting part28, 29 connected together at 30, by welding, and reinforced by a plug 31located within connecting parts 28, 29 at their connection 30.

Each of the horizontally extending frame parts or members 20, 21 areelongated, spaced apart and lie in substantially the same horizontalplane. Each of the vertically extending frame parts or elements 22, 23are spaced apart and lie in substantially the same vertical plane. Theouter connecting parts 28, 29 connect together the elongatedhorizontally extending frame member 20, 21 at their outer ends and thelower connecting parts 24, 25 together with other structure to besubsequently described, connect together the vertically extending frameparts 22, 23 at their lower ends.

Trough-shaped skin 16 is composed of two separate halves joinedtogether. Each half comprises a respective side portion 90, 91 integralwith a respective bottom portion 32, 33 integral with a respectiveupstanding lip portion 34, 35. Lip portions 34, 35 are joined togetheralong their length, as by welding, to form a central reinforcing flange38 extending from a first or inner end 36 of the bottom portion of skin16 to a second or outer end 37 of the bottom portion of skin 16.

Trough-shaped skin 16 has an open upper end defined by an upperperipheral edge comprising side edge portions 40, 41 and outer edgeportions 42, 43. Skin 16 also has an open inner end defined by an innerperipheral edge comprising edge portions 44, 45.

As shown in the figures, the inner open end of the trough-shaped skin isvertically disposed and has a top and bottom. The open upper end of thetrough-shaped skin is horizontally disposed and has an inside and anoutside. The closed bottom portion (32, 33) of the trough-shaped skin isinclined upwardly from the bottom of the skin's open inner end to theoutside of the skin's open upper end.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, trough-shaped skin 16 has a firstcross-section, adjacent its open inner end in the form of a modified Vcomprising a pair of downwardly converging side portions (shown at 44,45 in FIG. 4) each integral with a concavely curved bottom portion shownat 36 in FIG. 4. Further, as shown in FIGS. 4, 6 and 8, thecross-section of trough-shaped skin 16 gradually changes, in a directiontoward the outer end of the skin, from the modified V-shaped, firstcross-section, described above, to a substantially U-shaped, secondcross-section adjacent the outer end of the skin.

Trough-shaped skin 16 is assembled to frame 15 with the skin on theoutside of and below the frame. The two are secured together by weldingthe peripheral edge portions at 40-45 of skin 16 to the tubular frameparts 20-25 and 28-29 of frame 15, around both the upper open end andthe inner open end of skin 16. More specifically, those portions of skin16 adjacent edges 40, 41 are welded to frame parts 20, 21; thoseportions of skin 16 adjacent edges 42, 43 are welded to frame parts 28,29; and those portions of skin 16 adjacent edges 44, 45 are welded toframe parts 22, 24 and 23, 25 respectively. The outer end of flange 38is notched at 46 (FIGS. 3-4) to receive the outer frame parts 28, 29 attheir connection 30 (FIG. 7). Inner end 47 of flange 38 is securedbetween the terminal ends 26, 27 of frame parts 24, 25 (FIGS. 3, 5 and7) and the notch 46 at the outer end of flange 38 is secured to frameparts 28, 29.

As previously noted, skin 16 is an integral part of the supportingstructure. Load is carried on the entire cross-section of skin 16, witha concentration of the load at the reinforcing flange 38 on the bottomof the skin. It is important that skin 16 be welded to frame 15 atvertically disposed frame parts 22, 23 to prevent the skin from "oilcanning" at its inner end when a load is applied to the supportingshell.

Aside from the outer connecting parts 28, 29 and the lower connectingparts 24, 25 on frame 15, there is no cross-member on the frame, per se,and none is needed. Skin 16 will accommodate the forces for whichcross-members would be needed in the absence of a structural skin.

Skin 16 is preferably composed of steel sheet (e.g., 20 gauge steel fora shell supporting a two-passenger seat). Frame 15 is preferablycomposed of steel tubing (e.g., 18 gauge 11/4" steel tubing for a shellsupporting a two-passenger seat).

Alternatives to sheet steel for skin 16 are molded fiberglass or aninjection molded, structural plastic such as polycarbonate or a highdensity polyurethane structural foam. A further alternative for thestructural skin would be a rotationally cast, foam filled plastic. Theprimary consideration is that the skin be sufficiently strong to performa supporting function as well as a covering or enclosing function forthe cantilevered shell.

Skin 16 may be provided with such openings (not shown) as are necessaryto accommodate blower fans, lights, speakers or other accessories housedwithin the skin.

Structure for mounting the cantilevered supporting shell on the sidewallof the vehicle will now be described. Welded to tubular frame 15, at thecorners where horizontal frame members 20, 21 join vertical frameelements 22, 23, are a pair of gusset elements 48, 49 each the mirrorimage of the other. Gusset element 48 will be described in detail, withreference to FIGS. 3-5 and 7, and the description of gusset element 48is equally applicable to gusset element 49.

Gusset element 48 comprises a vertically disposed side portion 50located on the inside of frame half 17 at the junction of frame parts20, 22. Integral with side portion 50 is a vertically disposed endportion 51 located at the inner end of frame part 22. Also integral withvertically disposed side portion 50 is a horizontally disposed topportion 52 overlying frame parts 20, 22. Vertically disposed gusset sideportion 50 may have an indentation at 53 to accommodate the tubularframe parts 20, 22.

Each gusset element also includes a notch 54 for receiving the lowerflange 55 of a channel-shaped upper mounting bracket 56 having an upperflange 57 overlying the top portion 52 of the gusset element (FIG. 3).Referring to FIG. 4, in the side portions 90, 91 of skin 16 at theirinner edges 44, 45 are notches 63, 64 respectively for receiving thelower flange 55 of channel-shaped mounting bracket 56 when the latter isassembled to the cantilevered supporting shell (FIG. 1).

Attached to lower frame parts 24, 25 is a plate-shaped lower mountingbracket 58.

Channel-shaped upper mounting bracket 56 has a plurality of openings 59(FIG. 6) for receiving fasteners to secure mounting bracket 56 to thewall of a vehicle, and lower mounting bracket 58 has a plurality ofopenings 60 (FIGS. 5-6) for receiving fasteners to secure the lowermounting bracket to the sidewall of the vehicle. Channel-shaped upperbracket 56 is secured to the wall of the vehicle with fasteners 61, andplate-shaped lower bracket 58 is secured to the wall of the vehicle withfasteners 62 (FIGS. 1 and 2).

The locations at which the supporting shell is attached to the vehiclewall are entirely on the outside of the supporting shell (note fasteners61 and 62 in FIG. 2). This gives greater accessibility to theattachments and greater structural integrity or stability because theattachments are spaced further apart than if they were located on theinside of the supporting shell.

After supporting shell 11 is attached to the sidewall of the vehicle,the open upper end of the supporting shell is closed with a cover 80(FIGS. 2, 3 and 8). Thereafter, seat 10 is mounted atop the supportingshell using brackets 70, 71 respectively located atop horizontallyextending frame parts 20, 21. Cover 80 has cut-outs to accommodatebrackets 70, 71 on frame parts 20, 21.

Cover 80 prevents dirt, trash and the like from entering the interior ofthe seat-supporting shell. Cover 80 includes a depending outer end 81and depending sides 82, 82 to assure the complete closure of the openupper end of the supporting shell. Cover 80 may include a recess 83(FIG. 3) for accommodating accessory equipment. Located between cover 80and the horizontally disposed frame parts of frame 15, at the outer endsthereof, are spacers 84.

Cover 80 may be composed of a light metal (e.g., aluminum), fiberglassor plastic. Cover 80 does not serve any significant structural function,but merely keeps extraneous material from entering the interior of thesupporting shell.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, as modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. Structure for supporting a seat in cantileveredrelation to a wall, said structure comprising:a .Iadd.cantilevered.Iaddend.rigid, trough-shaped, structural, exterior skin; saidtrough-shaped skin having an outer end and an open inner end; means formounting said inner end of said trough-shaped skin on said wall; andmeans for mounting a seat atop said trough-shaped skin .Iadd.with thefront and back of said seat disposed transversely to said wall.Iaddend.;said rigid, structural, exterior skin comprising means for providingcantilevered support to said seat.
 2. A cantilevered supporting shellfor a seat, said shell comprising:horizontally extending frame meanshaving inner and outer ends; .Iadd.vertically extending frame means atsaid inner end of said horizontally extending frame means and attachedthereto;.Iaddend. means at said inner end of the horizontally extendingframe means for mounting said frame means on a wall; and trough-shaped,structural, exterior skin means integral with said frame means andlocated therebelow; said trough-shaped, structural.[., exterior.]. skinmeans having an outer end .Iadd.adjacent the outer end of saidhorizontally extending frame means .Iaddend.and an open inner end; saidstructural.[., exterior.]. skin means comprising means cooperating withsaid frame means to provide the support for said seat.[...]..Iadd.;.Iaddend. .Iadd.said shell being devoid of any brace having bothsubstantial vertical and horizontal components and extending betweensaid vertically extending frame means and said horizontally extendingframe means.Iaddend..
 3. A cantilevered supporting shell as recited inclaim 2 and comprising:an open upper end on said trough-shaped skin,adjacent said horizontally extending frame means, defined by an upperperipheral edge portion on the skin; and means fixing said upperperipheral edge portion of the skin to said horizontally extending framemeans.
 4. A cantilevered supporting shell as recited in claim 2 .[.andcomprising.]. .Iadd.wherein.Iaddend.:.[.vertically extending frame meansat said inner end of said horizontally extending frame means andattached thereto;.]. said open inner end on the trough-shaped skin beinglocated adjacent said vertically extending frame means and being definedby an inner peripheral edge portion on the skin; and .Iadd.said shellcomprises .Iaddend.means fixing said inner peripheral edge portion ofthe skin to said vertically extending frame means.
 5. A cantileveredsupporting shell as recited in claim 4 and comprising:an open upper endon said trough-shaped skin, adjacent said horizontally extending framemeans, defined by an upper peripheral edge portion on the skin; andmeans fixing said upper peripheral edge portion of the skin to saidhorizontally extending frame means.
 6. A cantilevered supporting shellas recited in claim 5 wherein:said horizontally extending frame meanscomprises a pair of .Iadd.spaced apart.Iaddend., elongated framemembers, .[.spaced apart and lying in substantially the same horizontalplane,.]. each of said elongated frame members having inner and outerend portions; and said vertically extending frame means comprises a pairof vertically extending frame elements spaced apart and lying insubstantially the same vertical plane, each of said frame elementshaving upper and lower end portions, each of said upper end portionsbeing connected to the inner end portions of a respective elongatedframe member.
 7. A cantilevered supporting shell as recited in claim 6wherein:said structural skin comprises a closed bottom portion havingfirst and second ends, said first end being located adjacent the lowerend portions of said vertically disposed frame elements and said secondend being located adjacent the outer end portions of said elongatedframe members; said bottom portion of the structural skin includingcentral reinforcing flange means projecting upwardly from said bottomportion and located between said first end and said second end thereof.8. A cantilevered supporting shell as recited in claim 6 wherein:saidhorizontally extending frame means comprises first connecting framemeans extending between said outer end portions of said elongated framemembers for connecting them together; and said vertically extendingframe means comprises second connecting frame means extending betweensaid lower end portions of said vertically extending frame elements forconnecting them together.
 9. A cantilevered supporting shell as recitedin claim 8 wherein:each upper end portion of a vertically extendingframe element is integral with a respective inner end portion of anelongated frame member; said first connecting frame means is composed oftwo separate, discrete parts each integral with a respective outer endportion of an elongated frame member and having a terminal end facingthe terminal end on the other part of the first connecting frame means;said second connecting frame means is composed of two separate, discreteparts each integral with a respective lower end portion of a verticallyextending frame element and having a terminal end facing the terminalend on the other part of the second connecting frame means; saidstructural skin comprises a closed bottom portion having inner and outerends; said bottom portion including central reinforcing flange meansprojecting upwardly from said bottom portion and located between saidinner end and said outer end thereof; said flange means comprising aninner end part at said inner end of the bottom portion and an outer endpart at said outer end of the bottom portion; said inner end part of theflange means being secured to the second connecting frame means adjacentthe facing terminal ends on the two parts thereof; said outer end partof the flange means being secured to the first connecting frame meansadjacent the facing terminal ends on the two parts thereof.
 10. Acantilevered supporting shell as recited in claim 5 wherein:saidstructural skin comprises a closed bottom portion; said inner open endof the trough-shaped skin is vertically disposed and has a top andbottom; said open upper end of the trough-shaped skin is horizontallydisposed and has an inside terminus and an outside terminus; and saidclosed bottom portion is inclined upwardly from (1) the bottom of saidopen inner end to (2) the outside terminus of said open upper end.
 11. Acantilevered supporting shell as recited in claim 10 wherein:saidstructural skin comprises a pair of side portions each integral withsaid bottom portion.
 12. A cantilevered supporting shell as recited inclaim 11 wherein:said structural skin comprises two parts each includingone of said side portions and one half of said bottom portion; each halfof said bottom portion comprising a part thereto terminating at anupstanding lip fixed to the other of said upstanding lips to providecentral reinforcing flange means for said trough-shaped structural skinand to connect together said two parts of the structural skin.
 13. Acantilevered supporting shell as recited in claim 2 wherein saidhorizontally extending frame means is devoid of any cross member at alocation between said inner and outer ends of the frame means. .[.
 14. Acantilevered supporting shell as recited in claim 2 andcomprising:vertically extending frame means at said inner end of saidhorizontally extending frame means and attached thereto; said shellbeing devoid of any brace having both vertical and horizontal componentsand extending between said vertically extending frame means and saidhorizontally extending frame means..]. .[.15. A cantilevered supportingshell as recited in claim 14 wherein said horizontally extending framemeans is devoid of any cross member at a location between said inner andouter ends of the frame means..].
 16. A cantilevered supporting shell asrecited in claim 2 wherein said means for mounting said horizontallyextending frame means on a wall comprises:a horizontally disposedmounting bracket extending transversely to said horizontally extendingframe means at the latter's inner end; means securing said bracket tosaid horizontally extending frame means at the latter's inner end; andmeans on said bracket, located outwardly of said shell on each sidethereof, for securing said bracket to a wall.
 17. Structure forsupporting a seat, as recited in claim 1, and comprising: flange meansintegral with said skin for reinforcing said skin.
 18. Seat-supportingstructure as recited in claim 1 wherein:said trough-shaped skin has afirst cross-section, adjacent its open inner end, in the shape of amodified V comprising a pair of downwardly converging side portions eachintegral with a concavely curved bottom portion; the cross-section ofsaid skin gradually changing, in a direction toward said outer end ofthe skin, from said first cross-section to a substantially U-shaped,second cross-section, adjacent said outer end of the skin.
 19. Seatsupporting structure as recited in claim 18 wherein:said seat-supportingstructure is devoid of any cross-member at a location between said innerand outer ends of said trough-shaped skin.
 20. A cantilevered supportingshell as recited in claim 2 wherein:said trough-shaped skin has a firstcross-section, adjacent its open inner end, in the shape of a modified Vcomprising a pair of downwardly converging side portions each integralwith a concavely curved bottom portion; the cross-section of said skingradually changing, in a direction toward said outer end of the skin,from said first cross-section to a substantially U-shaped, secondcross-section, adjacent said outer end of the skin.
 21. A cantileveredsupporting shell as recited in claim 20 wherein:said seat-supportingstructure is devoid of any cross-member at a location between said innerand outer ends of said trough-shaped skin. .Iadd.
 22. A cantileveredsupporting shell for a seat, said shell comprising: horizontallyextending frame means having inner and outer ends; means at said innerend of the horizontally extending frame means for mounting said framemeans on a wall; and trough-shaped, structural, exterior skin meansintegral with said frame means and located therebelow; saidtrough-shaped, structural, exterior skin means having an outer endadjacent the outer end of said horizontally extending frame means and anopen inner end; said structural, exterior skin means comprising meanscooperating with said frame means to provide the support for said seat..Iaddend. .Iadd.
 23. A cantilevered supporting shell as recited in claim2 and comprising: means for mounting a seat atop said trough-shaped skinwith the front and back of said seat disposed transversely to said wall..Iaddend..Iadd.
 24. A cantilevered supporting shell as recited in claim22 and comprising: means for mounting a seat atop said trough-shapedskin with the front and back of said seat disposed transversely to saidwall. .Iaddend.